Sat, Oct 17, 2026

Howl-O-Ween 5K Run/Walk

Manchester, NH

Opens Oct 13, 2026Annual since at least 2022

About the Howl-O-Ween 5K Run/Walk

This is a Halloween-themed road race in Manchester that welcomes dogs on the course alongside their owners. Costumes are encouraged, so the start line tends to look more like a parade than a typical race morning. The pace is open, and the whole thing benefits a local animal rescue organization.

Dogs can be officially entered and will show up in the results with their own bib, which makes the post-race review worth a look. Refreshments are out after the finish, and registration is available on race morning for anyone who decides to show up last minute.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a decent-sized field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

5K · 2025 results

308finishers

19:29winner

41:33median

1:21:57cutoff

Top 3: Landis Beckman (19:29) · Colby Hales (19:29) · Dylan Lafond (20:27)

The Howl-O-Ween 5K Run/Walk has been held every year since at least 2022. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.

Where Would You Finish?

Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 5K results.

Median

See how your time stacks up nationally →

How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Jul 27, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K10/17/2026 10:00$40

5K10/17/2026 10:00$45

5K10/17/2026 10:00$50

5K10/17/2026 10:00$5

5K10/17/2026 10:00$45

Going for a Time?

Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.

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Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Howl-O-Ween 5K Run/Walk

Will I finish last at the Howl-O-Ween 5K Run/Walk?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 41:33, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:21:57, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Howl-O-Ween 5K Run/Walk a good first 5K?

A field of 308 is big enough that you will have company at your pace without feeling lost in a crowd. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 5K, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Howl-O-Ween 5K Run/Walk?

The 5K winner ran 19:29 while the median finisher took 41:33. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.